From Wednesday, April 29, through Tuesday, May 5, the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia met in the Convent of the Venerable New-Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth in Buchendorf, Germany, convening in connection with the celebration of the centenary of the Diocese of Germany.
Participating in the proceedings of the Council, presided over by Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, were: Metropolitan Mark of Berlin & Germany; Archbishops Kyrill of San Francisco & Western America and Gabriel of Montreal & Canada; and Bishops John of Caracas & South America, Irenei of London & Western Europe, Theodosius of Manhattan, Luke of Syracuse, James of Sonora, Job of Stuttgart, Spyridon of Toronto, Michael of Boston, and Peter of Seattle.
At the session of the Council of Bishops on Thursday, 30 April, having discussed various liturgical and calendrical questions, it was resolved: 1) To entrust Bishop Peter of Seattle and Archpriest Serafim Gan to review the text of the prayers "Save, O God, Thy people…" and "O Master, plenteous in mercy…", proposed by Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky), to introduce amendments to the same, and to present them for consideration by the Synod of Bishops; 2) To propose to the Hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church that the commemoration of the translation of the relics of the Holy New-Martyrs of Alapaevsk to Jerusalem (17/30 January) be included in the general Church calendar.
On the same day, the Right Reverend Archpastors heard a presentation by Priest Roman Tarabrin, Ph.D., of the Diocese of the City of Moscow, Associate Professor of the Sechenov University and the Sretensky Theological Academy, entitled: "The experience of the Russian Orthodox Church in formulating a bioethical position: The case of assisted reproductive technologies." Thereafter, a commission on bioethical questions was established, to which were appointed Bishops Luke of Syracuse and Job of Stuttgart, with the right to co-opt into its membership ecclesiastical figures as well as scholars from amongst the Orthodox laity.
On Friday, May 1, the German Diocese marked the centenary of its founding with a solemn Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of the Holy New-Martyrs & Confessors in Munich. On this day, the conciliar divine service was officiated by Metropolitan Nicholas, co-served by all of the hierarchs of the Russian Church Abroad, as well as with Metropolitan Peter of Prespa & Pelagonia (Macedonian Orthodox Church) and Archbishop Tikhon of Ruza, administrator of the German Diocese of the Moscow Patriarchate; Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky), Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem (ROCOR); dean of the Munich Cathedral Archpriest Nikolai Artemoff; and some 100 priests and deacons of the German Diocese and guests from across the world.
On Saturday, May 2, the Council of Bishops, having heard a report by Deacon Pavel Lisitsin, a cleric of the Diocese of Great Britain & Western Europe, resolved to invoke God’s blessing upon the establishment of a charitable fund for the support of the clergy. On the same day, the Council considered the report of Bishop James of Sonora, chairman of the commission for the study of the life, legacy and veneration of the ever-memorable Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose). On the basis of this report, the following determination was made: 1) To receive the report; 2) Having recognized the righteous course of life of the ever-memorable Hieromonk Seraphim, to bless the process of preparing his ecclesiastical glorification among the ranks of our venerable fathers; 3) To invoke God’s blessing upon the further work of the aforementioned commission under the chairmanship of His Grace, Bishop James.
On Monday, May 4, in discussing the question of filling the vacant See of Mid-America, the Council of Bishops resolved to release Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal & Canada from the administration of the Mid-American Diocese, expressing gratitude to him for his labors, and to appoint His Grace, Bishop Spiridon, as Bishop of Chicago & Mid-America. On the same day, the Council heard the report of Bishop Peter of Seattle on the liturgical traditions of the Russian Church Abroad, and the report of Metropolitan Mark of Berlin & Germany, entitled: "On certain saints encountered in the course of my life: Towards the opening of a conciliar discussion on the glorification of the saints of the Russian Church Abroad, who embody her spirit and heritage." Following His Eminence’s presentation and the ensuing discussion, the task of preparing materials on Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky), Archbishop Tikhon (Troitsky), and a number of other pious individuals venerated in the Diaspora, presenting them for consideration by the Synod of Bishops by the end of the year, was entrusted to Archbishop Kyrill and Bishop Luke.
Thereafter, the Council elected the members of the Synod of Bishops, constituted as follows: Metropolitan Mark of Berlin & Germany, First Vice President; Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco & Western America, Second Vice President and Secretary; Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal & Canada; Bishop Irenei of London & Western Europe, Secretary for Inter-Orthodox Relations; Bishop Theodosius of Manhattan, Deputy Secretary; and Bishop Job of Stuttgart. Bishop Peter of Seattle was elected as an alternate member.
On Tuesday, May 5, at the final session of the Council of Bishops, held in the assembly hall of the new site of the men’s monastery of Venerable Job in Seifriedsberg, the archpastors discussed and adopted the text of their conciliar epistle. Thereafter, a reception in honor of the Council of Bishops was offered by the brotherhood of the monastery, with the participation of the Governor of the Günzburg District, Dr. Hans Reichhart; the Mayor of Ziemetshausen, Ralf Wetzel; as well as local religious figures and other guests.
On the same day, a session of the Synod of Bishops, in expanded form, took place, which formalized the determinations of the Council of Bishops and considered a number of petitions of the Right Reverend Archpastors, who presented their clergy and parishioners for ecclesiastical awards.
